How to hide ‘pension millionaires’

Like most pro-union organizations, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSME) maintains that public pensions are “modest.” AFSCME says its average member “receives a pension of approximately $19,000 per year after a career of public service.”

Poor old ma and pa, barely scraping by. In fact, AFSCME skews the numbers by counting old-timers who retired before pensions got out of hand.

Look instead at how things stand today: In California, the average retiring worker today receives $61,560, plus roughly $20,000 in Social Security benefits — $1.2 million over their retirement.

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Michael Fitzgerald

Mike Fitzgerald is The Record’s award-winning metro columnist. His column runs in the paper three times a week. Born in San Francisco, he was raised in Stockton. His column covers diverse beats including, sometimes, the offbeat. Read Full